Metal earrings and dental fillings could be the cause of chronic back pain.
Pieces of metal that pierce or even just touch the skin could be setting off a massive chain reaction in the body, sending hundreds of muscles out of alignment , according to a story on www.mailonsunday.co.uk.
And even the smallest bits of metal – such as tooth fillings – could be the cause of major agony in muscles far away.
Experts say the nervous system automatically tries to move body parts away from metal objects because they are uncomfortable to the skin that surrounds them.
The muscles used in that movement will then place strain on other, larger muscles as they constantly try to maintain a distance.
The result, according to a growing school of thought, is whole body stresses that cannot be cured by any amount of rest, exercise or nutrition.
However, experts say the good news is that something as simple as removing jewellery or having a metal filling replaced with an acrylic one could be all that is needed to end years of agony.
Chiropractor Simon King is one of around 250 professionals who are telling patients that the answer to their chronic back pain could be very straight-forward indeed.
"I’ve always been fascinated and confused that some people with massive injuries made a quick recovery while others with minor strains took forever to get better," he said.
"Then I made a remarkable discovery. Most patients who struggled to recover from pain or injury had metal touching or piercing their skin."
Mr King says earrings are a common cause of back and neck pain, dentistry and jewellery such as necklaces and watches can cause pain and arthritis.
Mr King said metal jewellery or dental work can irritate nerve endings which leads to the body altering the way muscles work, leaving people open to injury and recurring pain that does not go away.
He said the body’s reflexes react to the environment – for example even relatively simple animals will withdraw quickly when they touch something extremely hot or cold.
